Fire prevention 101

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Joel Mease
  • 7th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
DYESS AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (ACCNS) --  Some of the smallest things you may not think of or ignore can lead to a big fire, and all it takes is just a little prevention to avoid a disaster. 

Mistakes at the workplace can be costly especially small ones some Airmen ignore. The most common problem the Dyess Fire Department finds is a practice called daisy chaining (plugging more than one power strip into an outlet.) 

"Some people think it's OK because it's plugged into a surge protector that everything will be ok," said Staff Sgt. Michael Rolirad, Dyess Fire and Emergency Services fire prevention inspector. "However, it's not designed to handle that and could cause the power strip to be over loaded."

Another common error in colder months is to bring in a space heater to work without it being pre-approved. All space heaters have to be approved by the 7th Civil Engineer Squadron before they are put to use, Sergeant Rolirad said.

Most residents at Dyess are probably well aware of large grass fires across the Big Country. Dry conditions are common across West Texas, and Dyess is no exception when it comes to being careful with any open flames. Cigarettes are included in that group as one cigarette can easily ignite a grass fire, Sergeant Rolirad said.

"It could happen on or off base. One inch of rain is not enough and makes the conditions very bad for a fire," said Tech. Sgt. Stephen Perez, Dyess Fire and Emergency Services fire inspector. "It's so important to make sure the cigarette is completely extinguished and disposed of properly."

Fire prevention doesn't end at the work place as most of a family's time is spent at home. Maintaining the proper fire prevention equipment is a major part of that.

"A fire extinguisher is a low cost tool that can save you a lot of money," Sergeant Rolirad said. "You could pay around $55 for a fire extinguisher or spend thousands replacing your valuables."

Residents in base housing can get a fire extinguisher for free at the self help store.

Smoke detectors are another tool to use at the home. It is recommended to have more than one detector in the home strategically placed around the home, Sergeant Rolirad said.

While having smoke detectors and fire extinguishers are great tools in helping to prevent a fire, it could be meaningless if family members don't know what to do if there is a real emergency, he said.

"It's really important to do fire drills in the home, especially if you have younger children," Sergeant Rolirad said. "You never know how a young child is going to act if the alarm goes off. The fire alarm might scare a child where (he or she) might hide. If you're unable to get to them it could be a horrible tragedy."

It is recommended to practice fire drills at different times of day including in the middle of the night. It's important to go over an evacuation plan and have a predetermined rally point.

Hopefully if everyone follows these preventative tips and follows a little common sense, it will be less likely a fire will happen in the workplace or at home.